diff --git a/p2p/pkg/rpc/provider/service.go b/p2p/pkg/rpc/provider/service.go
index 3db1adefe..5a30648ae 100644
--- a/p2p/pkg/rpc/provider/service.go
+++ b/p2p/pkg/rpc/provider/service.go
@@ -271,7 +271,15 @@ func (s *Service) Stake(
 	}
 
 	for i, _ := range stake.BlsPublicKeys {
-		tx, txErr = s.registryContract.AddVerifiedBLSKey(opts, []byte(stake.BlsPublicKeys[i]), []byte(stake.BlsSignatures[i]))
+		blsPublicKey, err := hex.DecodeString(strings.TrimPrefix(stake.BlsPublicKeys[i], "0x"))
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, status.Errorf(codes.Internal, "decoding bls public key: %v", err)
+		}
+		blsSignature, err := hex.DecodeString(strings.TrimPrefix(stake.BlsSignatures[i], "0x"))
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, status.Errorf(codes.Internal, "decoding bls signature: %v", err)
+		}
+		tx, txErr = s.registryContract.AddVerifiedBLSKey(opts, blsPublicKey, blsSignature)
 		if txErr != nil {
 			return nil, status.Errorf(codes.Internal, "adding verified bls key: %v", txErr)
 		}
@@ -288,7 +296,7 @@ func (s *Service) Stake(
 		for _, log := range receipt.Logs {
 			if blsKeyEvent, err := s.registryContract.ParseBLSKeyAdded(*log); err == nil {
 				s.logger.Info("verified bls key added", "key", blsKeyEvent.BlsPublicKey)
-				stakeResponse.BlsPublicKeys = append(stakeResponse.BlsPublicKeys, string(blsKeyEvent.BlsPublicKey))
+				stakeResponse.BlsPublicKeys = append(stakeResponse.BlsPublicKeys, hex.EncodeToString(blsKeyEvent.BlsPublicKey))
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/p2p/pkg/rpc/provider/service_test.go b/p2p/pkg/rpc/provider/service_test.go
index 2fe5508e6..e71d70d46 100644
--- a/p2p/pkg/rpc/provider/service_test.go
+++ b/p2p/pkg/rpc/provider/service_test.go
@@ -30,10 +30,11 @@ import (
 )
 
 type testRegistryContract struct {
-	stake    *big.Int
-	topup    *big.Int
-	minStake *big.Int
-	blsKey   []byte
+	stake        *big.Int
+	topup        *big.Int
+	minStake     *big.Int
+	blsKey       []byte
+	blsSignature []byte
 }
 
 func (t *testRegistryContract) ProviderRegistered(opts *bind.CallOpts, address common.Address) (bool, error) {
@@ -50,6 +51,7 @@ func (t *testRegistryContract) RegisterAndStake(opts *bind.TransactOpts) (*types
 
 func (t *testRegistryContract) AddVerifiedBLSKey(opts *bind.TransactOpts, blsPublicKey []byte, blsSignature []byte) (*types.Transaction, error) {
 	t.blsKey = blsPublicKey
+	t.blsSignature = blsSignature
 	return types.NewTransaction(1, common.Address{}, nil, 0, nil, nil), nil
 }